Spring-wheel.



E. L. UUBLE. 1

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1911. 1,045,5 16. Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CULUMBIA PLANOGRM'H Cu..WAsH|NuTcN. D. c.

ERNEST L. COBLE, 0F ELECTRA, TEXAS.

SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

Application filed November 22, 1911. Serial No. 661,702.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST L. COBLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Electra, in the county of Wichitaand State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Wheels, of whichthe following is a specication, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

zThis invention relates to spring wheels,

the same being particularly adapted for use upon motor vehicles.

The invention has for its object to produce a wheel of this characterwhich is simple in construction, eiicient in operation and one which maybe manufactured cheaply.

A further object of the invention-1s to provide a device of this typehaving the characteristics of a wheel equipped with the usual pneumatictire.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel;Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a wheel; Fig. 3is a transverse sectional view; Fig. i is a perspective view of one ofthe rods; Fig. 5 is a similar View of one of the arms and guide pintherefor.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a hub havingradiating therefrom, spokes 2. The spokes are formed fro-m tubular metaland conical in longitudinal cross section, and are formed at their outerends with a pair of diverging arms 3, the eXtreme ends of which are bentat right angles to form attaching flanges f1. The flanges t are rivetedor otherwlse suitably secured to the inner surface of the inner rim 5.The rim 5 is provided with slots 6, said slots being spaced an equaldistance apart, the number of slots corresponding to the `number ofspokes employed. Apertures 7 are formed within the upper ends of thearms 3, and are arranged in registered relation, the purpose of whichwill be hereinafter described. An outer rim 8 is provided and has moldedto its inner face a series of blocks 9, and said blocks 9 are eachprovided with recesses 10 in which the upper ends of rods 11 are looselypivoted, to allow slight pivotal movement. The upper ends of the rods l1are provided with eyes 12 through each of which ispassed a pivot bolt13, said bolt being passed through openings 14: and 14 formed in theblocks 9 and outer rim 8 respectively. v The rods 11 are` of suicientlength to extend into the tubular portion of the spokes 2.

Openings 15 are formed in the arms 3, and are arranged in registeredrelation. Adapted to. pass through and be supported by said openings isa bar 16, one end of which is threaded and upon which a clamping nut 17is threaded. The rod 1l is provided with a longitudinal slot- 18,through which the bar 16 passes. The rods 11 are screw threaded for aportion of their length near their outer ends, and have their inner endsscrew threaded, as indicated at 19 in the drawing. Adjusting nuts 20 aremounted upon the screw threaded portions of the rods 11, the purpose ofwhich will be hereinafter described.

Surrounding the rod 11, and above the bar 16 is a coil spring 21, theouter terminal of which Arests against the inner face of one of theadjusting nuts 2O and the inner terminal of said spring rests upon thebar 16. Surrounding the rod ll and separated from the coil spring 21 bythe bars 16 is a coil spring 22, the inner terminal thereof resting upona movable guide stay 23, said stay being provided with an aperture 24through which the lower end of the rod 11 passes. The lower threaded endof the rod 11 extends a sulficient distance beyond the stay 23 to permitthe application of" the adjusting nut 20. Thus it will be seen that thestay 23 will be engaged with the spoke in the inward movement of the rod11 and the spring 22 compressed thereby assisting the spring 21 andpreventing injury'tliereto when the wheel is subjected to excessive loadpressure. In this manner the spring 22 serves to relieve the spring 21of undue pressure thereon which would impair its usefulness.

The device further consists of a pair of oppositely disposed arms 25,the lower ends of which are provided with openings 26, whereby the saidarms are supported upon the bars 16, and upon opposite sides of the rod11. j The arms are provided at their upper ends with oppositely disposedflanges 27, said flanges being adapted to engage the rod 11 and to holdthe arms in their proper relation thereto. To the arms 25, near theupper ends thereof are pivotally connected the inner ends of pins 28,said pins being adapted to slide in the openings 7 formed in the arms 3.Coil springs 29 surround the pins, and exert a constant` pressure uponthe arms 25V to hold them in .yielding contact with the rods 11, due tothe fact that saidV Guard arms 25 are secured to the innern faces of thespoke arms 3 and extend at their` inner ends between the rod 11 and theends of the arms 25 which are movable upon the bar 16. Thus theliability of said arms contacting with the springs 21 and 22 iseffectually prevented.

The outer rim 8 is provided preferably with an integral flange 30, saidflange beling adapted to extend inwardly a suiiicient distance to coverthe operative parts of the spokes 2, and may be so shaped as to iitsnugly against the spokes to prevent access of foreign matter to thesame. The rim S is further provided with a series of ears 31, to whichis bolted the outer edge of a cover 32, said cover being for the purposeof protecting the mechanism mounted within the spokes 2, from foreignmatter, and 1n a manner similar to that of the flange 30.

The inner face of the tiange 30 and cover 32 may be provided with apacking of felt or like material to more et'fectually prevent the accessof dust and grit to the interior of the wheel.

From this Vconstruction it will be seen that the weight of the vehicleis equally distributed upon the coil springs 21 and 22, during therotation of the wheel, and that the shock incident to the starting ofthe vehicle is absorbed by the coil springs 29 which are connected tothe arms 25. This construction in no way interferes with thereciprocation of the rod 11, said rod being permitted to slide upon thebar 16 slightly when the vehicle is started. By adjusting the nuts 2Othe tension of the springs may be regulated as desired.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In al wheel, the combination with a hub, of inner and outer rims,spokes radiating from said hub, said spokes being formed from tubularmetal and provided at their outer ends with a pair of diverging arms theouter ends of which are secured to the inner rim, slots formed in thesame rim, and rods pivotally connected at their outer ends to the outerrim and positioned between the diverging arms, said rods being providedwith longitudinal slots, bars supported by said arms and passed throughsaidslots, and coilsprings surrounding said rods and having theiropposing terminals resting upon said bars.

2. In a spring wheel, the combination of a hub, having spokes radiatingtherefrom, inner and outer rims, the inner rim being l provided with aseries of slots spaced an equal distance apart, rods pivotally connectedat their outer ends to theouter rim and adapted to pass through theslots in the inner rim, said rods -being provided with a longitudinalVslot, bars supported by the spokes and passing through the slots formedinthe rods, coil springs surrounding said rods and having their opposingterminals resting against said bars, a pair of arms supported by saidbars, said armsV having their outer ends held in yielding contact withthe said rods.

3. In a spring wheel the combination with a hub having spokes radiatingtherefrom, of inner and outer rims, the inner rim being provided withslots, said spokes :being formed with diverging arms, blocks formed uponthe inner surface ofthe outer rim, rods pivotallyV connected at theirouter endsl to said blocks and passing through the slots. in theA inne-rrim and between the diverging arms of the spokes, longitudinal slotsformed in said rods, a bar supported by said arms and passing throughsaid slots, coil springs surrounding said rods and having their`opposing terminals resting against opposite sides of said bars, a pairof arms supported by said bars, pins pivotally connected `to said arms,openings formed in the upper-ends of the diverging arms, of the spokes,said pins being slidably mounted in said-openingscoil springssurrounding said pins and adapted to holdsaid arms in yielding Contactwith the rods, and means for'regulating the tension of the springs whichsurround said rods.

4. In a spring wheel, the combination with a hub, of inner and outerrims, spokes 1 radiating from the hub, said spokes having diverging armsformed on V their outer ends rigidly secured to said inner rim, said`rim having slots formed therein between the spoke arms, rods pivotallyconnected to the outer rim and positioned between said diverging arms,means connecting said diverging arms to guide the rods, coiled springsarranged upon said rods, and plates arranged on said rods and adapted tobe engaged by the spokes in their outward movement with relation to therods to compress one of said springs. Y

5. In a wheel, theV combination with a hub, of inner and outer rims,spokes radiating from said hub and provided at their outer ends withdiverging arms rigidly secured to the inner rim, slots formed in saidrim between thearms, rods pivotally connected to the outer rim andextending through said slots and positioned between the spoke arms, saidrods being provided with longitudinal slots, guide bars connecting thediverging arms and extending thro-ugh said slots in the rods, springsarranged on each of the plate against movement thereon and against theend of one of the springs, said plate being moved on the rod in theoutward movement of the spoke to compress one of said springs, armsmovable upon said guide bar attheir ends, means yieldingly holding therod and the inner ends of the spring held lo arms to prevent Contact ofsaid arms with the springs on said rod.

In testimony` whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses. E. L. COBLEA outer ends of said arms in engagement WithVitnesses: said rod, and guard means arranged upon T. R. JACKSON, thespoke arms and eXtendlng between said W. E. NORTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

